Pro 14: Team of the Week

Pro 14: Team of the Week

1. Brad Thyer

The 24 year old loose-head put in fantastic shift and played a vital role in his side's narrow victory over Connacht. He consistently piled the pressure on his opposite number at scrum time, earning several penalties for the Blues. He was also solid as a rock in defence, making 8 tackles and missing none. When required, he carried well, often making good yardage around the fringes at the breakdown.

2. Torsten van Jaarsveld

A well rounded performance from the Cheetahs hooker. He provided good service at the line out securing clean ball for his side, as well as a nice try off the back of a powerful driving maul. He carried consistently throughout with a total of 10 carries and tackled relentlessly making 16 hits in total. This is his second week in a row in our TOTW and the Cheetahs will be hoping he can keep up this form as they start a winning run.

 3. Zander Fagerson


Fagerson was a key member in the Glasgow pack that dominated Munster at scrum time. He held his own and caused all sorts of problems for Liam O'Connor at the set piece. He popped up repeatedly with big gain line carries and earned himself 15 meters throughout the game. He played for longer than expected as after being substituted he had to return to the field for a HIA which was then made permanent. An impressive shift for a tighthead prop.

4. David Sisi


The young second row forward was exemplary in his side's first victory of the PRO14 campaign. He was very impressive at the lineout, consistently providing his hooker with an excellent option and often managed to disrupt the opposition lineout. He carried well, beating three defenders and making one clean break and was an absolute rock in defence.
 

5. Tadgh Beirne

The Irishman put in yet another excellent performance in the Scarlets jersey tonight. He was an absolute rock in defence, making 8 tackles, some of which coming at crucial moments of the game. He acted as an excellent lineout option and also carried very well when called upon. His Trojan efforts were rewarded as he was named man of the match.
 

6. Francesco Minto

Minto produced a big performance to help his side overcome the Ospreys to win their second game on the bounce. He defended tirelessly with 10 tackles to his name as well as causing problems in attack. His work rate was evident all over the pitch, most notably when he ran a superb supporting line to earn himself a try.

7. Braam Steyn

The Italy representative epitomised everything that was good about Treviso's play in their impressive victory over Ospreys. Defensively he was immaculate, making 13 tackles and recording a tackle success rate of 100%. He got through a huge amount of work at the breakdown, consistently slowing down the Ospreys attack. He also posed a constant threat with ball in hand, making 10 carries and one clean break

8. Nick Timoney

Timoney was simply outstanding in Ulster’s massive win over the Dragons. It was his first start for the club and what a performance he put in. The Dublin native was hugely physical and looked a dangerous attacking threat all night. He managed an impressive 16 carries, making 82 metres and dotting down for two tries, one of which required impressive pace to finish. He put his hand up tonight and is no doubt a prospect for the future.

9. Gareth Davies

Though the scrum-half had to leave the pitch early due to a head injury, he lit up the park for most of the game. He made the initial break which set the ball rolling for Patchell’s try. He later went straight through himself, avoiding the tackles of 3 defenders on his way to the line. He racked up 46m in attack whilst he was on the field and forced a cheap shot which resulted in a red card for Edinburgh due to frustration. A typical performance from the energetic nine.

10. Finn Russell

The British and Irish Lion gave a MOTM performance tonight as he led his Glasgow side to a BP victory over Munster. He pulled the strings throughout the game and the men in red found it extremely hard to contain him as he moved them around the field, with his intelligent passing and accurate kicking. He was flawless from the tee and scored 17 points to help his side to the win. He led the defensive line well as they cut off Munster’s attack at source and made 5 tackles in the game.

11. Makazole Mapimpi

In a shock upset victory over Leinster, Makazole Mapimpi was one of the most potent attacking threats in the Cheetahs' arsenal. Gaining a massive 119 meters the winger showed his blistering pace as he beat 6 Leinster defenders. It made for exciting viewing as he lit up the field with brilliant footwork and athleticism.

12. Willis Halaholo

The kiwi played a crucial role in Cardiff's narrow, last minute victory, earning the MOTM award in the process. The centre touched down for the opening try of the fixture, giving his side the initial lead, sending Darragh Leader for a hot dog with a magnificent step. He was then Cardiff's saviour as he crossed the line to deny Connacht a victory in the dying minutes of the game. While the former Hurricane was a clear threat in attack, he also proved essential in defence, making an unbelievable 20 tackles for his side.

13. Darren Cave

The veteran centre was one of the standout performers in his side's comprehensive victory over Dragons this weekend. He was immense in defence, recording an impressive tackle success rate of 100%. The combination of his pace and power proved to be too much for the Dragons defence to handle as he made a total of 48 metres and even managed to bag himself a try.

14. Leanardo Sarto

The Italian was introduced early due to an injury to Rory Hughes after a couple of minutes. He wasted no time in getting involved in the game, scoring a wonderful try after just 4 minutes. He stepped on the 10m line, wrong-footing Sweetnam to run through and score under the posts. He then set up the try of Scott Cummings, going on a rampaging run up the middle before offloading to the second row 5m out. He will surely be a shoe in to start next weekend.

15. Charles Piutau

Piutau was an ever present threat for Ulster in their dominant performance against the Dragons. The fullback found gaps in the Dragons' line again and again, making 2 clean breaks, amassing an impressive 85 metres in the process. While the All Black didn't cross over himself on the night, his influence on the game in attack certainly caused problems for the Welsh side. It’s easy to see why he is set to become rugby’s highest earner next season.

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